Aspiring documentarians can take part in the Laboratory of Anthropological Film about the Indigenous Peoples of Russia
6 February 13:24
The festival of contemporary scientific cinema FANK announces the launch of the Laboratory of Documentary Anthropological Film FANK 2026 – an educational and production project for aspiring documentarians.
The new season of the laboratory is dedicated to the indigenous peoples of Russia and will end with the creation of an almanac of five short documentaries.
The theme of the laboratory is dedicated to the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia. The project is focused on understanding the cultural diversity of the country, preserving local identities, languages and traditions of indigenous peoples who are in danger of extinction. All films will be shot in Russia and about the country’s indigenous peoples.
Until February 15, 2026 there is an open competition. Participants need to submit an idea for a short documentary film, a motivation letter and a portfolio. The selection of finalists will be carried out by an expert commission of specialists in cinema and anthropology. The laboratory's consulting and expert partners are the Russian State University for the Humanities and the National Research University Higher School of Economics.
The finalists of the laboratory will go through a full creative cycle – from research and script development to field filming in the places where the characters live. The online educational program includes classes in visual anthropology, ethnography, drama and directing under the guidance of experienced mentors. After completing it, participants will go on field expeditions to communities of indigenous peoples of Russia.
The result of the laboratory will be an almanac of five documentaries. The premiere will take place in Moscow in August-September 2026. After which, in the fall, the films will be shown throughout the country – both for the professional film community and for a wide audience.
The laboratory is part of the FANK ecosystem, a project that has been developing popular science and documentary cinema in Russia since 2015. During this time, FANK shows took place in 228 cities, 115 villages and 32 towns, bringing together more than 420 thousand spectators. The FANK laboratory has been developing since 2022 and during this time has united several educational and production formats, implemented jointly with cultural and scientific institutions. The project systematically supports aspiring documentary filmmakers and is open to participants regardless of age, region of residence and professional experience. Participation in the laboratory is free.
Applications for participation are accepted on the project website.
The project is being implemented with the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives.
